History as it Happened presents contemporary newspaper and other media
accounts of notable times in urban history, with added
commentary as appropriate. These accounts are offered to help
the modern reader see events through the eyes those who
observed them as they were happening.

The following articles, arranged
chronologically from 1834 to 1857, illustrate the rising tide
of violence, disease and despair that made The Five Points
neighborhood a frequent topic of New York conversation. Researched, compiled and written by Gregory J.
Christiano.

From the New
York Sun, Thursday, May 29, 1834
(Publ’d Daily by Benj. H. Day & Geo. W. Wisner)
[Office: 222 William Street].

Robbery: - A black man was knocked
down and robbed night before last in the vicinity of the Five
Points.

____________________________

Mr. Robert Castle, of this city, was
one of three men who drifted ashore, and over whose bodies a
coroner’s inquest was held at Yellow Hook, mentioned in
our paper a few days since. On the 13 inst. [this month],
Mr. Castle strayed from the house of his son, 151 Elizabeth
street, who made every effort to discover what had become of
him, which proved ineffectual until on Tuesday, when he learned
the above fact.

____________________________

From the New
York Sun, Monday, June 23, 1834.

Caution to Shop Keepers. – While there are so many rogues prowling
the city, as at present, an argus [watchful] eye should be
every where kept. Saturday morning a chap called at the
store of Mr. Beatty, at the corner of Jay and Washington
streets, to get a bank note changed, and having satisfied
himself that the till contained “deposites,” he
soon returned and made a purchase of three pence worth of sand.
While the lad was outdoors engaged in measuring it, he
“removed” all the “metal currency” from
the drawer, amounting to 8 or 10 dollars.

___________________________

From the New
York Sun, Monday Morning, June 22,
1835.

[Reported to the Sun]

Police Office – Saturday.

Morning Returns.

Elizabeth Batson of 41 Pitt street was
brought in at half past 10 o’clock, with a young

infant in her arms, charged with being
drunk and disorderly and abusing Thos. Donnehue.
Forgiven, and discharged.

Thomas, alias William Jenkins, of 271
Greenwich street, who said he was bookkeeper for Mildengenery
& Timpson, was taken up at Peck slip by Mr. Doyle, Street
Inspector of the 4th ward charged with being very drunk, and
sent to the watch-house. In the morning being yet under
the influence of liquor ... he was remanded to the watch-house
until he could become sober and civil.

Henry Marshal, a sailor was found
drunk in the street, “wallowing in filth as do the
swine,” and brought in on a hand cart. Committed.

Dennis Murphy, of Avenue B and Clinton
street was found by the custom house watchman at 10
o’clock at night wagging along with a heavy piece of pig
iron on his shoulder, whereupon being questioned, he said he
got it from Pier No. 9, East River and then from No. 3, and on
being taken there he could not tell where he got it, but said a
man got him to carry it. He was committed.

Celia Riddle, yellow girl, of Bayard
street was found at the Five Points, drunk and disorderly and
wanting to fight. Committed.

William Fisher, and old sailor, who
said he was sail maker on board the U. S. schooner Experiment,
had been in the United States service more than 19 years and
fought hard for his country in the last war, was brought up,
with his …a gushing gory from weighty blows, charged with
having been found late at night in the house of Capt.
– Hugh March, No. 123 South street, under peculiarly
suspicious circumstances. Fisher, having been previously
confined to duty on shipboard, and having just returned from a
long voyage with nearly $500 on him, obtained a short furlough
to go on shore with his friends, stretch his limbs and take a
glass of grog with his shipmates. Having accomplished all
this and having drunk incessantly until his mind became
inflamed he strolled about until he espied the door of the
house of Capt. March, and in he walked to seize hold of the
hospitality it appeared to offer. As a snug berth was
desirable, in the then drooping condition of his mind and body,
Fisher very deliberately hauled off his shoes and tarpaulin,
and planning to go on the entry floor mounted aloft to the 3rd
floor hunting for a hammock in which to take a snooze.
Finding a handsomely dressed bed, he doffed his jacket
and in the bed he hopped and ensconced under the covering, sunk
into a sound sleep. After snoring a while, Mrs. March
came up to show Mrs. Ireland to bed, and on advancing to
it then found Fisher in full possession. The ladies
“screamed and screamed,” and scampered off, and the
gentlemen were being [obliterated] who had the impudence to
disturb him in his hammock. Jack, however, was ordered to
get out, but he swore he would do no such thing, and bid them
to be gone, for a set of laud sharks as they were. The
gentlemen urged, but Jack, swearing he would not “give up
the ship,” and being disposed to resist to the last plank
reefed up his forces and prepared for action; but the whole
squad began bearing down upon him, carried the boarding, and
Jack was made a prize of the squad and led to the watch-house.
In the morning the effect of his grog not being quite
worked off, Jack was sent to Bridewell, until he should become
sober enough to spin a straight yarn on the subject of his
capture.

Daniel Dowland, alias Durgan Dothy
youth and dealer in sugar plums, arrived on Friday in this city
from Liverpool, and the first thing he did after landing was to
go to the nearest grog shop and get drunk, and then get into
the watch-house. He thought it was mighty funny that he
should do so and it was much easier to get drunk here than in
Liverpool, and had the pleasure of going to jail the day after
his arrival, for the ugly sin of getting drunk.

Sally Carpenter, alias Maria Williams,
a yellow woman, was sent in by Bowyer officer suspected of a
felony. Committed.

Samuel Letts, assault and battery on
Morris Gentry. The parties settled and he was discharged.

Hannah Fowle, alias Donnelly of 313
Pearl street was brought in beastly drunk, and swore it was her
husband that was drunk, and not herself. Committed.

Bernard Lawless, just from New
Orleans, was brought in drunk from the oyster house of a man
named Smith for attempting to leave a child there, which he
brought with him, and swore that he had never seen before,
though it was the child of landlord. He was fined $1
which he paid and was discharged.

Mary Ann Allen, 5 years from Sligo,
was sick and sent to the alms-house.

Lydia Cutter was sick and without
home, and sent to the penitentiary for 90 days.

A stranger taken in. – A Scotch
gentleman from Princeton, N. Jersey, named Paul came to this
city about three weeks since and in disbursement of his
business went one afternoon to the Five Points. There he
chanced to enter a house which persons of poor character
sometimes frequent, and while there, a mulatto woman came in
and by engaging him in conversation, contrived to pick his
pocket of $65, with which she made off. The gentleman
came to the police office, and communicated the fact to Bowyer
officer, who keeping a sharp look out on Friday night as he was
passing the Five Points, happened to come across the mulatto,
who was engaged in a fierce fight, while another negress was
crying “give it to her Sal.” She was then
followed and arrested by the officer, who lodged her in the
watch-house and in the morning she was sent to prison, but no
part of the money was found, that having long since been wasted
in intemperate indulgence.